No Benzema, no Cavani - Arsenal 'can't compete' says Sol Campbell

With a deal for Karim Benzema having fallen through, Arsenal's bid for Edinson Cavani was "too little, too late", according to Sol Campbell.

Published

2 September 2015

After another quiet transfer window, ex-Arsenal defender Sol Campbell believes his former club "can't compete" with the Premier League's big spenders.

Arsenal made one major signing throughout the European summer transfer window with Petr Cech moving across London from Chelsea but although Campbell says the goalkeeper will "prove his weight in gold" the former centre-back is concerned by Arsene Wenger's general inactivity.

Wenger hinted at a late deal to bring in a striker - something many critics feel is desperately needed at the Emirates Stadium - but failed to complete a transfer before the window shut on Tuesday.

Having been heavily linked with Real Madrid's Karim Benzema throughout the transfer window, reports suggested Wenger had switched his focus to Edinson Cavani of Paris Saint-Germain but with the amount of money Arsenal have to spend, Campbell said the timing was all wrong.

"You can see they're in the market, trying to do a deal but sometimes it's almost too little, too late," Campbell said.

"That type of deal might need a few more days to get it going."

Arsenal's lack of movement on deadline day was in stark contrast to one of their Premier League arch-rivals with Manchester United splashing a reported £36million to sign Anthony Martial from Monaco.

Meanwhile, Manchester City reportedly spent over £130m on transfers, bringing in the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling.

"You can't compete with them. Man United had to spend money [to return to the top of the Premier League] and it's not worth talking about Man City because they're in a different type of galaxy," Campbell said.

"Doesn't always bring you success though. The trouble with Arsenal, is they've just got to get everyone fit. That's the trouble already - there's a few players out and we haven't got that depth."

But Campbell is impressed by the arrival of Cech: "I think the main priority was a goalkeeper, [Wenger has] got an excellent goalkeeper and he will definitely prove his weight in gold throughout the course of the season."